paper trail
noun
: documents (such as financial records) from which a person's actions may be traced or opinions learned
Examples of paper trail in a Sentence
They covered up the fraud and were careful not to leave a paper trail.
Recent Examples on the Web
After death, the paper trail could lead to contradictions and slow down the process of settling the estate.
—
The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 15 July 2025
Having a paper trail is essential to getting a situation like yours addressed.
—Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
For example, when the same person who earned $100 playing blackjack wins and walks out of the casino, there is no clear paper trail connecting them to the $100 win.
—Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
And there’s a paper trail linking the defendant to them.
—Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for paper trail
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 15 July 2025
Having a paper trail is essential to getting a situation like yours addressed.
—Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
For example, when the same person who earned $100 playing blackjack wins and walks out of the casino, there is no clear paper trail connecting them to the $100 win.
—Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025
And there’s a paper trail linking the defendant to them.
—Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for paper trail
Cite this Entry
“Paper trail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paper%20trail. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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